At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop innovative software solutions and collaborate closely with leadership to bring ideas to life.
- Company: Join a dynamic disruptor in the collectibles market, headquartered in London.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and a professional development budget.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with opportunities for growth and direct access to founders.
- Why this job: Shape the future of digital platforms while working with cutting-edge technology and passionate teams.
- Qualifications: Strong experience with Next.js, React, PHP, and a product-focused mindset.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
The Collecting Group is a true disruptor, offering high-quality 'curated collectibles' from around the globe, curated by specialists in their subject matter. We're headquartered in London, with offices in Munich, Sydney and Stockholm, as well as a strategic partnership in the UAE.
Collecting Cars launched in 2019, offering buyers and sellers a new way to transact online, and a community to deepen their enjoyment of all things automotive. It enables a faster route to market than traditional platforms while dramatically reducing the costs involved, charging zero fees to the seller. In 2021, we extended the same innovative approach to Watch Collecting, infusing new energy into the enthusiast market.
We're now a team of 100+ people around the world, with ambitious growth plans across new product extensions and new markets. Our growth hinges on integrating talented engineers with cutting-edge technology, and increasingly, on building with modern AI engineering tools. Claude Code and Cursor are part of our daily workflow, and we expect our engineers to push how far we can take them.
We're looking for forward-thinking, product-minded, motivated people who share our love for great products, fast execution, and the worlds of cars and watches.
The Role
This is a Product Engineering role for a system-thinking, product-minded engineer. The lines between engineering, product and design are blurring. We're less interested in which box your job title sits in, and more in your ability to move fluidly across the work; spotting an opportunity, prototyping it, hardening it into production, then going back to simplify and sharpen what's there. The strongest engineers we know span that whole arc rather than staying in a single lane, and that's exactly who we're hiring.
Based out of our Parsons Green office, working directly alongside our CEO, COO and CPO to turn their vision into a shipped product: close to the decisions, close to the problems, and able to move quickly without waiting on hand-offs. Because you work across the full stack, you won't be blocked by or dependent on anyone to get something live.
You'll also work closely with the rest of the engineering team. The day-to-day looks different for everyone, but we're all working toward the same goals, on shared architecture and standards, raising the bar together. Your work will help shape our platform, our engineering capabilities, and the unique experiences The Collecting Group provides.
Requirements
- Strong, production-grade experience with Next.js, React and PHP, full stack.
- Strong engineering fundamentals, with good judgement on patterns, structure and trade-offs, and an instinct for clean, efficient, maintainable code.
- A genuine product mindset; you think in systems and outcomes, not just tickets, and you can talk fluently with non-technical stakeholders, including the executive team.
- Comfort owning features end-to-end, from architecture and APIs through to polished frontend experiences.
- A startup/scale-up temperament: high ownership, comfortable moving quickly, and energised by direct access to the founders.
- Demonstrable experience using AI tooling across the SDLC, with tools like Claude Code and Cursor.
- Nice to have (and everything beyond Next.js + PHP is negotiable; we'll help you pick up the rest): Node.js and AWS.
- Experience with multitenancy and internationalisation.
- Experience with high-traffic marketplace or transactional platforms.
- A track record of mentoring, code review and lifting a team's technical proficiency.
Location: This role will be based out of our office based in Parsons Green, London. You'll need full UK working rights (sorry, we're unable to provide sponsorship for this position).
Benefits:
- 25 days holiday (plus an additional day each year after 2 years tenure).
- Private medical insurance for you and your family with Vitality.
- Company pension contribution.
- Access to professional development resources and opportunities.
- Annual Learning & Development budget to support your professional growth.
- Monthly social budget to enjoy team activities and build connections.
The Finish Line: If you are an experienced Senior Software Engineer with a passion for cars, watches, and shaping the future of digital platforms, we want to hear from you.
Senior Software Engineer employer: The Collecting Group
The Collecting Group is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Parsons Green, London, where innovation and creativity thrive. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide access to professional development resources, a generous annual learning budget, and a vibrant team culture that encourages collaboration and social engagement. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values your contributions and empowers you to shape the future of digital platforms in the exciting world of collectibles.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Engineer
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at The Collecting Group or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to The Collecting Group.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like The Collecting Group.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like The Collecting Group that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at The Collecting Group.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at The Collecting Group and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Collecting Group
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If The Collecting Group uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.